Short Summary

While the record breaking United States Skylab crew were readapting to earth conditions after two months weightlessness, there were new men in space yesterday (Thursday, September 27) -- aboard the first manned Soviet spacecraft to be launched for two years.

Description

While the record breaking United States Skylab crew were readapting to earth conditions after two months weightlessness, there were new men in space yesterday (Thursday, September 27) -- aboard the first manned Soviet spacecraft to be launched for two years.

The new Soviet space shot is reportedly a two-day flight to test out an improved Soyuz space capsule. The last manned flight was the ill-fated Soyuz-ll flight in 1971, which killed three cosmonauts. If the current mission is successful, there could be more flight sot prepare for the planned Soviet - American space linkup in the summer of 1975
The spacecraft launched on Thursday has a crew of two -- Air Force Lieutenant-Colonel Vasily Lazarev and Civilian Engineer Oleg Makarov. Film of the two cosmonauts and of the successful launch has been released with unprecedented speed. We apologies, however, for the poor quality of this black-and-white satellite telerecording.

Meantime, the three Skylab astronauts were readapting to life on earth after a record 59 days in space. Doctors were delighted with early medical tests. At San Diego, en route to reunion with their wives in Houston, Commander Alan Bean spoke about their quarantine restrictions -- and about the new Soviet space flight.

SYNOPSIS: New men in space at the weekend were Lieutenant-Colonel Vasily Lazarev of the Soviet Air Force, and civilian engineer Oleg Makarov.

It was the first Soviet manned space flight since the disastrous Soyuz Eleven mission two years ago, when three cosmonauts were killed as their craft sprang a leak during earth reentry.

Thursday's blast-off for Soyuez-Twelve went without a bitch, and the Soviet authorities released film of the launch with unprecedented speed. The cosmonauts were reportedly testing newly designed space suits, and a new modified version of the ill-fated Soyuz spacecraft, leading up to the forthcoming Soviet-American space linkup.

Meantime, the three record-breaking american Skylab astronauts were back in San Diego after fifty-nine days in space. Doctors were pleased with their condition. Commander Alan ???an told newsmen about their period in restricted quarantine.

The astronauts were reported to be is better shape than the Skylab One crew, who spent only half as many days aboard the space laboratory. This is put down partly to the fact that commander Bean and his crew exercised twice as much during orbit.